SPOKANE, Wash. -- A new city ordinance requiring landlords to give renters a minimum of 180 days notice when increasing rent was introduced on Monday.Â
Currently, landlords are only required to give tenants 60 days notice when rent is expected to go up. For many renters, this isn't enough time.Â
"It's scary to think about really," said Danielle Quimby, who rents an apartment in Kendall Yards.Â
Quimby wants to stay in her current apartment, but if her rent is raised above a certain amount, she would have to find another place to live.Â
She said she tried to ask her landlords if they expect to raise her rent in June, but they said they won't know until May.Â
"Budgeting for that is top priority for me. Having a place to live is top priority for me, so being able to budget earlier changes everything. I'm a little nervous going into leasing season," said Quimby.Â
The new ordinance proposed Councilmember Paul Dillon is meant to give renters an additional four months to find housing should their rent go up.Â
"We all know that if rent does increase, and you're in a position where you have to move and look for new housing, this will give more time to find new housing," said Spokane Councilmember Dillon.Â
Councilmember Dillon said the ordinance would help keep people housed amidst the city's current housing crisis.Â
As of now, Spokane would need to add roughly 3,000 new housing units a year to keep up with demand, but the city is only building around 1,500 a year.Â
Some landlords have voiced their concern about the ordinance's time frame being too broad in light of a housing market that could change quickly and drastically.Â
"I think that creates possible problems for both the tenant and the landlord to anticipate the costs that far in advance," said Steve Corker of Spokane Landlord's Association.Â
If the ordinance is approved, it could go into effect as early as June 1.Â
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